Mobile device positioning systems have been proposed which employ use of IEEE 802.11 (“Wi-Fi”) radio transceivers. Wi-Fi positioning systems (WPS) have been proposed where the Global Positioning System (GPS) are inadequate due to various causes including multipath and signal blockage indoors. Wi-Fi positioning takes advantage of the availability of wireless access points.
Proposed positioning techniques employing wireless access points have included techniques based on measuring the intensity of the received signal (received signal strength indication or RSSI). Typical parameters useful to geolocate the Wi-Fi hotspot or wireless access point include an access point's SSID and MAC address. Accuracy can depend on the number of positions that have been collected. A Wi-Fi hotspot database can include data correlating mobile device GPS location data with Wi-Fi hotspot MAC addresses.
Positioning techniques using one way communication short range radio signal beacons have been proposed. According to one technique a short range radio signal beacon can be disposed at a predetermined location. Receipt of the short range radio signal by a mobile device indicates that the mobile device is at a location proximate the beacon.